Despite delving deeply into the emotional anguish of two of its primary protagonists, The Boys’ penultimate episode is disjointed and unsure of its own priorities. In most of the episode, Butcher and Black Noir are the focus. Their personalities couldn’t be more different: one is outgoing and outspoken, while the other is more reserved. However, as we learn, their shared pain binds them together. A Medusa-like Supe who can make anybody he gazes upon drift into unconsciousness and experience horrific memories is the sole survivor of Payback. Soldier Boy, Hughie, and Butcher set off in quest of Mindstorm after Homelander’s escape. Much of the episode is spent revisiting Butcher’s painful memories of boyhood, including clashes with his violent father and younger brother Lenny. Butcher is spending too much time with me.
Butcher’s violent outbursts and icy treatment of Hughie have always made it clear that he had a troubled connection with his father and sibling. It’s a stomach hit to watch Lenny’s death from Butcher’s perspective, but it’s washed away by Billy’s momentary glimpse of hope. Is Hughie’s newfound love for Hughie making his return to his old c-word-spouting ways? Thankfully, Black Noir’s storytelling is a lot more successful. The disguised, silent Supe makes his way to Chuck E. Cheese stand-in Buster Beaver, which is a delightful surprise. His encounter with Soldier Boy and his subsequent brain damage in Nicaragua are recreated by a Snow White-esque cast of animated creatures. To get to the bottom of Black Noir’s mysteries (and identity), the Boys writing crew went with a darkly humorous take on Disney, which is a brilliant way to achieve it.
This episode’s focus on Black Noir aside, it’s a little disappointing. Despite his desperation, Homelander is given little to do. In addition to his injured ego, he has a physical scar. The chance to spend time with the Seven’s divided leader is almost too tempting to pass up, but he only appears on rare occasions. Homelander threatens to collect Maeve’s eggs so that she can ‘live’ long after she is slain by Vought, following the theme of her being underutilised this season. Many major plotlines in both The Deep and A-Train will be wrapped up in the next few episodes. Deep’s string-pulling lover leaves after his watery sexual preferences go too far. Ironically, Blue Hawk’s heart heals A-Train as well. These are important and interesting moments, but there isn’t enough room for them to fully develop on-screen space.
Aside from Starlight publicising the threats of Homelander on Instagram Live as well as the fact that MM knocked Todd out cold, the show’s first genuine hint of a need to cut back on the number of plotlines is that it can’t keep up with all that’s occurring on each episode. There are times, though, when it does soar like “Here Comes a Candle to Light You to Bed.” Temp V is a death sentence once Starlight learns of it, and the rope around the episode’s throat tightens. It’s no surprise that Neuman and Homelander have formed a temporary alliance that will explode in everyone’s faces when the programme returns for its season finale next week.
Hughie and Butcher both want to get their hands on Homelander, but they don’t realise that Homelander is dealing with family troubles. That all-timer of a twist saves the programme, then: Homelander is the son of Soldier Boy. However, it serves a similar function to Darth Vader’s famous family revelation. Now that the end is in sight, everything seems a little less clear. Even though it looked like the two kings – Soldier Boy and Homelander – would face off in the endgame, they might potentially knock multiple pawns off the board if they unite. The Boys’ latest rug-pull may get more attention than Stranger Things this week, but don’t be shocked if you hear more people freaking out over it than you imagined! It’s truly that fantastic, you know.